How's this for a cool sail?

x SF med · 08-31-2006, 13:59

I ran across this picture on one of my sailing sites and thought it was appropriate to post, notice the spinnaker....

PSM · 08-31-2006, 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_sf_med

I ran across this picture on one of my sailing sites and thought it was appropriate to post, notice the spinnaker....

Well, the wings are on a "chute".

Pat

x SF med · 08-31-2006, 18:42

Pat-
Not only a Chute - a Catalina 27 Chute! Think an SF Crest would be a bit too much?

PSM · 08-31-2006, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_sf_med

Pat-
Not only a Chute - a Catalina 27 Chute! Think an SF Crest would be a bit too much?

Go for it, Doc!

I thought it looked familiar. Ours didn't have ports in the v-berth.

Pat

edit: My wife pointed out those ports were in the dinette area. The FOG is closing in.

SF18C · 08-31-2006, 19:37

Quote:

A spinnaker is a special type of sail that is designed specifically for sailing downwind (with the wind behind the boat). The spinnaker fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat when it is deployed, called flying. It is constructed of very lightweight, usually nylon, fabric, and is often brighly colored. The spinnaker is often called a chute, as it somewhat resembles a parachute in both construction and appearance, or a kite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinnaker

Man I had to look that one up! I'm not a "boat" guy! But it still looks cool.

x SF med · 09-01-2006, 06:14

Kites are great - they look cool, but once the breeze gets over about 18 or so, it's a real bitch to handle, think MC1-1B with a major updraft, crosswind, and overloaded - plus one side is led through the spinnaker pole, and that's the nonworking side, so essentially only one toggle to control it - it can get interesting - there's a little mishap called a "windward death roll" it is exactly what the name implies, the chute gets overpowered on windward side of the boat, and actually pulls it over - fall down, go BOOM. Gotta love it, nonsailors think - oh, it's so pretty and relaxing - bwahhh - try 3-6 foot waves/chop and 25 kts of wind with gusts to 40 - ass busting and dangerous. Can't beat it.

Ok, so I'm addicted to the sport - ask a golfer about his obsession....

Books · 09-01-2006, 14:35

x_sf_med,

I'm from the Pacific Northwest on the Puget Sound and worked the west coast from Mexico to Alaska as a merchant mariner before I stumbled my way into this line of work. My skipper was the son of a Brit expat shipwright father and a Pentagon secretary mother who stood his first watch on the family ketch at age 11. Literally raised on the water. His nautical tutelage really planted an interest in sailing in me, always urging me to get away from the diesel and onto a wind powered vessel. His enthusiasm mirrors your own.

While working on the boats, I started reading the Patrick O'Brian books and that just made the sailing interest more pronounced. It can't happen now for obvious reasons, but I'm determined to get back to sea eventually.

Somewhat related, kite surfing looks pretty cool too.

Oh, and I picked up golf. . .

Books

PSM · 09-01-2006, 14:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_sf_med

Gotta love it, nonsailors think - oh, it's so pretty and relaxing - bwahhh - try 3-6 foot waves/chop and 25 kts of wind with gusts to 40 - ass busting and dangerous. Can't beat it.

Ok, so I'm addicted to the sport - ask a golfer about his obsession....

Pat

x SF med · 09-01-2006, 14:56

Pat-
A wheel? Sacrilege!! Never sacrifice control for comfort.

Can you tell I prefer a tiller? Better feel in a race, and it makes you more aware of the weather helm, so as to avoid the infamous Catalina auto-tack....

Books-
I got the sailing bug at 8. Trust me 14 years landlocked in Ft Worth Tx after the military, and an initial stint in college (also Ft Worth) I was ready to get back on the water with a vengeance. I can't afford guns any more, the name of my boat says it all... "Loose Change" I don't have much any more, and if you have any I'll take it - gotta rewire and replace the freshwater system this winter.... plus I'm replacing the winches (not the wenches, gotta find a couple of those too)... ok, I'm done for now.

PSM · 09-01-2006, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_sf_med

Pat-
A wheel? Sacrilege!! Never sacrifice control for comfort.

Can you tell I prefer a tiller? Better feel in a race, and it makes you more aware of the weather helm, so as to avoid the infamous Catalina auto-tack....

We’re more into cruising than racing.

As for the “auto-tack”, we could have used it about half an hour before the picture of my wife was taken. We were double reefed and would have loved a third. The waves were about twice the freeboard height, at least. You can see the swell behind her head. I would bear off to pick up speed and that took us toward a lee shore. We struck the jib and even tried the engine. The little sucker just couldn’t turn through the wind and waves. I eventually rigged a preventer and jibed. It’s funny with sailing how it’s wet, noisy, and cold one minute then dry, quiet, and hot the next.

Love it! And miss it for the time being.

Pat

x SF med · 09-01-2006, 16:50

Pat-
the auto tack is a bad thing... very, very bad - Wx helm gets so bad the heel forces you full around, no time to unsheet the genny, it backwinds on the windward side and forces you around, or knocks you down. That's why even cruisers in Cat 27s are going back to the tiller.

To combat the dreaded auto tack; you have to (non sailors beware, it's like talking SF to a leg or civvie here):
*sail the shape (foil) of the sails, balance the draft of the genny (flat, no twist, run the car back to spill the leech, run off the center telltales)
*bubble out on the main (force the slot into the luff of the main, full cunningham and outhaul, vang sheet- boom down- to spill the leech, tight sheet with the traveller up and then ease the traveller out for the 1/3 bubble giving the power to the aft bottom 1/3 of the main, balancing the power from the fully shaped untwisted headsail)

- you just can't feel the Wx helm with a wheel when you're shaped wrong, until it's too late.

In your case, with trailing seas - reaching off with the reefed main, and running a storm jib (unless you were on a roller furler, you could have left a tail there too though) would have given you the power and control to side surf and jibe (tack) off wind. a little more distance - but a smoother ride and better speed with more helm response.

Sorry if I lost anybody - ask if you would like a less sailing explanation - althoughg the MFF guys can probably figure out the aerodynamics of the issue.

Damn, I love sailing. Maybe I will take the 6pack course (not beer - CG Charter/offshore captain's course) this winter and change careers.

PSM · 09-01-2006, 17:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_sf_med

Pat-
the auto tack is a bad thing... very, very bad

I know, I was kidding.

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_sf_med

To combat the dreaded auto tack; you have to (non sailors beware, it's like talking SF to a leg or civvie here):
*sail the shape (foil) of the sails, balance the draft of the genny (flat, no twist, run the car back to spill the leech, run off the center telltales)
*bubble out on the main (force the slot into the luff of the main, full cunningham and outhaul, vang sheet- boom down- to spill the leech, tight sheet with the traveller up and then ease the traveller out for the 1/3 bubble giving the power to the aft bottom 1/3 of the main, balancing the power from the fully shaped untwisted headsail)

OK, but somebody's going to have to hold my beer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by z_sf_med

In your case, with trailing seas

No trailing seas. The photo was taken after the jibe. (The surfing was fun, though.) Before the jibe, we were beating on a port tack. The lee shore was also coming out to meet us because of the shape of the island. I'm pretty sure my crew was mumbling something about mutiny; it was our honeymoon after all.

Pat

PSM · 09-01-2006, 18:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_sf_med

In your case, with trailing seas

It just dawned on me that you thought that I jibed to the starboard tack. No, I advanced to the rear...back to Avalon. It was my honeymoon remember.

The wine and cheese was closer and the mutiny postponed.

Pat

x SF med · 09-01-2006, 21:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM

OK, but somebody's going to have to hold my beer.

That's what those little swingy basket thingies are for - keeps it from spilling too. But most of my suggestion should have been taken care of during set up and tacking. Oh, yeah, your crew was driving, so you could take pictures....

Honeymoon? - you were sailing - wait till you get to the mooring and blame the rocking on the motorboats and the 'noise' on a stubbed toe.

PSM · 09-01-2006, 21:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by x_sf_med

That's what those little swingy basket thingies are for - keeps it from spilling too.

Doc,

We had those. Mine is in Davey Jones' locker. When it jumped overboard I understood why the professional fishing boat guys, going the other way, kept looking at us through their binos. I know the time-line of the pix by when the beer holder was there and when it was gone. With my beer!

Pat